Camelot's 'Best' Kept Secret
by EmrysTheMerlin
Summary: The knights all keep something quiet, even from each other. They all know before Merlin tells them. Well almost all of them. Individual reveals. Could be considered a compainion piece to Farewells and Returning.
1. Keeping It Quiet

**Camelot's 'Best' Kept Secret**

Part 1 Keeping It Quiet

**(Authors Note: Ok I have had an idea. Could be I'm avoiding school work but still. Ok this is a fun little piece I wrote today about Merlin and his secret. Ok so I'm messing with the episode order here. Elyan gets possessed by the druid boy before Uther dies, but he was basically catatonic at that point anyway. I own nothing.)**

Lancelot is the first to know. It's kind of hard to miss when Merlin shouts a spell and blue flames engulf his lance, smiting the gryffin. Lancelot trusts Merlin and knows he would never hurt anyone, unless he was protecting someone. Lancelot kept quiet.

Leon is next to figure it out. He had had his suspicions when Arthur had made a miraculous recovery after being wounded by the Questing Beast. He had overheard Merlin talking to Arthur and from the alcove he had dodged into he had heard Merlin whisper, '_Goodbye Arthur._' But he knew for sure when he found the door to the cell Merlin had been locked in on the floor after the Sigan incident. He had kept a close eye on Merlin after that. But it hadn't taken him long to realize that Merlin meant no harm to Camelot, quite the opposite really. Leon keeps quiet.

Gwaine overhears it. He was surprised when Merlin came to ask him for his help. They followed Arthur to the Perilous lands. When they had reached the bridge Gwaine had motioned for Merlin to stay put while he circled around. But Merlin had approached the bridge anyway. From behind the tree Gwaine had tensed ready to run to Merlin's rescue. But the little man who appeared out of thin air had simply smiled at Merlin and said, '_Ah, Magic has arrived._' That was how he found out. He had rushed out to protect Merlin. He didn't care about the magic, just about his friend. Gwaine kept quiet.

Elyan had been told, but not by Merlin. When the druid boy had possessed him he had gained some of the druid's knowledge. He knew some of what Merlin had done, not everything, but enough to know that the truth had been staring them in the face this whole time. He respects Merlin and knows he has only helped Camelot, even offering himself to the pyre to save Gwen. Elyan keeps quiet.

Arthur worked it out slowly. He knew something was off when they had taken Camelot back. Morgouse had been killed, but Merlin had escaped with only a lump on his head. No one was that lucky. He knew for sure after his father died. Merlin had never been overly fond of Uther but he had been devastated by his death, by the fact that magic had caused it. His eyes and the sorcerer's, Dragoon's, had been the same. But Arthur isn't angry, not at Merlin or his magic, not after Giaus had explained that the mysterious amulet around his father's neck had reversed the healing magic. He wants Merlin to trust him, wants Merlin to tell him the truth. He kept quiet.

Bedavier notices it. He's always been incredibly smart and it doesn't take him long to figure it out. He should have died from his wounds after they took Camelot back. He knows this. Even Giaus shouldn't have been able to save him. It wasn't Giaus's voice that brought him back from the brink. It was Merlin's speaking ancient words of power that knit tissue and bones, muscles and skin back together. Merlin isn't evil, he saved Bedavier's life. Bedavier keeps quiet.

Kay picked up on Merlin's hints. The 'jokes' about saving Arthur's life, the hurt reproaches when he's called useless. Nearly every word Merlin speaks screams the truth, crying out for acceptance, for an end to the fear Merlin must feel every second he stood in Camelot. He is the only one who see's the truth behind Merlin's eyes when he replies to Arthurs comment about his clumsiness with, '_Well I've been told I was born this way.'_ Kay kept quiet.


	2. The Truth Be Told

Part 2 The Truth Be Told

**(Authors Note: This is just going to be a two parter, though I am thinking about writing a companion piece to Returning that is Merlin's whole reveal to the knights, as Returning already has his reveal to Arthur. I own nothing.)**

When Merlin disappears, each man knows why, well the base reason anyway. Someone found out. Each knows it isn't them, so they begin to wonder if it's one of their fellow knights. Gwaine blames Arthur. Lancelot blames Arthur. Bedavier blames Arthur. Kay, Leon, and Elyan don't blame anyone. Each knows that every last one of the knights and even Arthur trusts Merlin with their lives. No one talks about it though. Arthur blames everyone, at least at first. For seven years they each keep Merlin's secret quite.

When Merlin finally comes back and tells them the truth each man reacts differently. Gwaine laughs and admits to having known. Lancelot smiles to see how much his friend has grown. Arthur jokes about it, then makes Merlin Court Sorcerer. Leon acts surprised but smiles in the background. Elyan doesn't admit to knowing, instead smiling and thanking him for all he had done. Bedavier and Kay had kept silent while he told them. Some are told before the rest.

Gwaine is told first, Merlin is testing the reaction he would get from the others. Then he told Arthur. Arthur had called a meeting of the round table. They had met in Arthur's chambers. All of them were there; Gwaine, Lancelot, Leon, Elyan, Kay, Bedavier, Percival and Arthur. They had wanted to ask so many questions when they saw him sitting in Arthur's room, but he had held up his hands to keep them quiet. They had each taken a seat, save Arthur. Then Merlin had told them what they already knew.

"Before any of you start, I have some things to say. Some things I've been holding back for a long time now." They all looked at each other. Only Percival looked confused. Arthur stood next to Merlin who was sitting his gaze glued to the floor. He had been shaking slightly. They all knew what was coming.

"You have to understand, I was born like this. I never had a choice in this. Most people do but I never did." He paused. His hands shook. Arthur laid a hand on his shoulder and after a deep breath he had continued.

"I have magic. I always have. I never had a choice about it. I could move objects around, make them fly, before I could talk. I have never _ever_ used my magic against Camelot. I…" His hands shook more than ever now as his voice gave out on him.

Lancelot and Gwaine watched Arthur closely, waiting. But it was Percival who broke the silence. He looked slightly stunned.

"And all this time I just thought you were really lucky." Silence then everyone burst out laughing.

Percival hadn't known until Merlin told them. Each other man, save Gwaine and Lancelot, pretended not to know, an unspoken promise never to tell anyone so deeply ingrained that they didn't even tell Merlin. It was Merlin who broke the quiet.

He would never know that his best kept secret hadn't been much of a secret after all.


End file.
